Mindfulness Builds Resilience

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Testimonials

Testimonials from the Eight Week(MBSR) Course

Hi How,

I would like to thank you for helping me to discover the gift that I hadwithin me all the time.Mindfulness is not complicated, it doesn’t hurt, and you do not need anyspecial equipment or space.Just the desire to sit still, breathe and do it again, and again and again,anywhere... in the park, on a train, in the garden or just in a chair.The benefits from this simple act of kindness to yourself are immeasurable,the benefit to your relationships with those around you are considerable.My health and pain threshold has improved, I find the body scan marvellousfor managing pain. I believe that my tolerance and empathy are alsoimproving.I would advise anyone to learn do this and teach your children, it ispossibly the most wonderful thing you can do for them.With loving gratitude,

GW

Hi Huw,

I just wanted to say thank you for your help and guidance throughout the eight-week mindfulness course.

I don't often speak up because I am a little shy and anxious at times, but I just wanted to let you know how much this course has benefited my mental well-being.

I've found that mindfulness offers me a different perspective on how I approach things and allows me more time to think clearly in the present moment. You've delivered a very clear, structured and welcoming approach to meditation and I've found the sessions and the home practice very enjoyable.

I've found that the more I practice the better I feel about approaching uncomfortable situations, or suppressing negative thoughts. I've also experienced the opposite when I don't practice so it's now down to me to to keep practicing! It's difficult to keep up practice sometimes, especially having a young family, but it's so important to my well-being that I have made myself find the time - body scans on park benches on my work lunch break, mindful noises in the car on the commute to work, etc.

I'm trying to make my visits to the mind-gym a priority now!

I recently wrote a piece on my Huffington Post blog about mindfulness and I hope that I can bring more awareness to unlocking it's true power.

I hope to attend some of your upcoming mindfulness retreats and keep in touch if I can be of any help recruiting new local members!

See you this evening.

Many thanks,

Rich

It has been a wonderful experience in so many ways. Being in a group setting sharing the stillness during the mindfulness meditations, brought such a great energy.The whole 8 week course has been so beneficial and awakening. H S. March 2015

Pushing the bounds of the practice.Before Huw's course I was aware of the evidence supporting MBSR and its increasing use in the NHS, and I had done some mindfulness meditation practices.This course added so much more than I could have imagined!I would recommend Huw to anyone considering MBSR, and I would also encourage joining the group sessions even if you are not a natural 'Groupie', as the support from the other group members on our journey was tremendous. Dr L.T. 14 May 2014

Mindfulness- 'A choice to step back into myself'. A beautifully structured and delivered course. A real gift to the self, with far reaching impact not only on the quality of our own life, but also those who we interact with. Sarah Hebe, 9th May 2014

Thank you Huw, you changed my life for the better. I can’t say I have ever been spiritual and before the course meditation was off my awareness scale. I became interested as i read some of the science behind mindfulness and its benefits on stress reduction and well being. I was open minded enough to know that being less stressed, more easy going in my outlook would benefit not only me but people around me home and at work. I wasn’t quite prepared how life changing mindfulness would be. Huw is an excellent teacher, very knowledgable and very amiable and I enjoyed each of the eight weekly sessions. Huw concentrated on the science for me. Daily practice has been important too. I have found that I am more grounded, much less stressed and less judgmental. In a word more relaxed. Realising that the present moment is the only moment I can effect, helped me not to dwell on the past (memories produce so much feeling) or worry so much about tomorrow. Learning how the mind works, and seeing it in action, whilst meditating to Huw’s Mindfulness tracks is a life changer. I highly recommend any person with a busy life and head full of thoughts to attend Huws course. You wont be disappointed. Don’t try and change into somebody else in life , change into yourself ! David Blake (S.I.R.M)

Although I have a lifetime of meditation experience and a wealth of other personal development workshops and spiritual retreats under my belt, I found this course greatly deepened my ability to live the practice of non-judgmental loving kindness.I enrolled simply as a professional exercise to find out what was being offered under the heading of “mindfulness”. Yet the most wonderful outcome has been a deep healing of the remaining grief around the death of my wife from cancer 18 months ago.Over and above the techniques Huw taught us, I found it was his kind and gentle presence that made the most impact on me. I was able to absorb the silent teaching through a feeling awareness that cannot be put into words.Thank you Huw. May you be safe, healthy, peaceful, and happy.Leo Searle Hawkins (May 2014)

Hard work at times, but Huw manages to make it enjoyable and non judgmental. The group support builds up to a great experience. Absolutely recommended. CC April2014

Having heard about mindfulness from different people, I decided to take the plunge and do the course after recently being diagnosed with MS. My world was shattered in an instant.Mostly through ignorance of the disease. Now I am better informed, I feel I will be able to deal with it and understand my body better. There are dark days but I feel I have a really useful tool in my tool box to help me through them now that I have completed the course. Thanks. SH April 2014

Huw is an amazing teacher, he made mindfulness easy to understand and explained everything clearly and showed us scientifically that mindfulness does work! I found him warm, friendly and funny. What he doesnt know about mindfulness is not worth knowing. I came away from each session feeling energized. I will miss the weekly class as I enjoyed them immensely, I will continue with mindfulness practice as I am starting to see real benefits. H C April 2014

The course felt like it was exactly what I was looking and hoping for, even though I wouldnt have been able, beforehand, to explain in any detailed way what it was that i was looking for! It felt like coming Home. Huw's delivery, manner and self effacing wisdom were all instrumental to the success and pleasure of the course and I would recommend him and the course to anyone wishing to benefit from mindfulness. H.M. April 2014

After a period of ill-health, Huw's 8 week Mindfulness course enabled me to clear all the fears and worries about the future from my mind and focus more in the present. As a result I was able to park a lot of negative issues and feel more positive. If I started to feel low, it was easier to recognise & deal with these depressivethoughts as they entered my mind. My subsequent annual health check up was a lot less stressful as a result.Each of Huw's mindfulness sessions have a separate theme which come together as a package of techniques to encourage a relaxed, cheerful approach to life in the moment.I would thoroughly recommend this course to everyone trying to deal with the demands of everyday life whether or not they have experienced difficult health challenges.C. B. 17.1.14

This course has been one of the most interesting and rewarding courses I have ever done. It more than fulfilled my expectations and it has given me the desire to make mindfulness part of my everyday life, for even within eight weeks, I can feel the benefit in my wellbeing ( both physical and mental) due to it's practical application and general philosophy of concentrating on the 'here and now'. I found the course to be well structured with just enough new information introduced each week together with re-inforcement of what had been covered in previous sessions. The variety of activities: exchange of information, questions and answers, practice of mindfulness techniques ensured well balanced and enjoyable sessions. Each weeks follow-up notes with suggested home study were clear, well presented and very valuable in reiterating what had been covered in class.Huw is a sympathetic teacher, always well prepared with everything set up before 'students' arrive. His friendly, relaxed manner put me at my ease and the group as a whole soon jelled. I appreciated his willingness to listen and to respond to queries. I know Huw's enthusiasm and commitment to mindfulness has left a lasting impression on me and I would recommend this course to everyone.

PW. 29th Nov 2013

I found the course interesting and stimulating.made me think about how to do things differently. I had been trying to fill voids with noise and busyness but actually found that silence is OK and being alone is not so bad. It's trying to remember to breathe in hectic moments that's the challenge.The course content wa good, I particulary loved the whole Saturday retreat and would like to do more. Also the movements linked to the energy meridians.Huw is a very good, patient, teacher and spreads his enthusiasm well. Thank you!CW. 30 Nov 2013

Having met a number of people who hold 8 week mindfulness courses, meeting Huw was a true breath of fresh air. His passion and enthusiasm for the subject, his belief in it, was infectious. Chronic long term depression is a difficult cross to bear. To “discover” mindfulness a number of months ago, has helped to put me in the best state of mind for over two decades. Not relying on any one person, being able to be pro-active in one’s recovery, is the way forward. Huw’s unselfish support has been heartening. I really look forward to the rest of my life- with mindfulness in mind. It is a joy to practice every day.

Thanks to Huw for his compassion and caring it has been a pleasure getting to know him. P.B. 30th November 2013

Excellent course exceeding my expectations.I liked the diversity of the course including a loving kindness meditation, the chants, listening to the bowls and the monochord and a visual meditation,not just sticking to the conventional breathing and body scan meditations.The changes to my life have been profound since enrolling on the mindfulness course. The technique is really helping me to live my life in the present and not to worry about what has gone on in the past or will happen in the future. I would thoroughly recommend this course to anyone.P.T. 6/12/2013

Huw is completely down to Earth and hugely encouraging. After my 8 Week Course I know how to make my life more grounded and balanced and less full of ups and downs.Now it is up to me to use these tools!I am pleased with myself, pleased I did the course and pleased with my growing glass-half full attitude.Claire Ripley. November 2013

The course for me was incredibly eye-opening, especially as I had previously been skeptical of meditation/Buddhist theories and practices. From the introductory session, I was convinced that the course was perfect for what I wanted to achieve and confident that Huw would effectively guide me on that journey. Monday evening's for 8 weeks was something myself and my partner thoroughly looked forward to, as we both came away feeling clearer, and closer towards a less frantic way of living. I personally suffered from stress and anxiety, and often felt I wasn't in control of my own thoughts which would race from one negative thing to the other. Mindfulness for me allowed not only a sense of calm during our sessions lead by Huw, but the tools to take away so that at times of stress, anxiety or insomnia, I was able to tackle these issues. Rather than an academic course that requires going away and studying, the mindfulness practice is something we both look forward to finding the time to carry out. Especially influential to us both was the mindfulness with music sessions. What was great is that Huw incorporated so many different avenues of mindfulness into our sessions, that we tried something new each week. The monochord instrument was beautiful, and created a feeling I will never forget!

Living in the now and enjoying the moment is something I have immensely benefitted from. I was apprehensive to begin with, however having studied neuroscience myself, I could not ignore what research was saying. I believe Mindfulness will become a huge part of health and well-being in the years to come, and will hopefully continue to enhance my own! Huw was a fantastic teacher for us, as he made us feel like we as a group took a journey together, rather than it being a classroom. He was always accommodating if we were unable to make a class which really helped. Huw is not in any way a 'wishy-washy' preacher, but a real down to earth nice guy, which made the course much easier to absorb,

We both feel Huw is a true inspiration and is held in extreme high regard - Thankyou!

Daisy Sept 2013

I am a busy person with lots of responsibilities and this was a fantastic course for me. I have learnt a lot about myself and how to cope with stress situations. The main thing is that I am now much quicker at realising what is happening (when I am getting stressed or anxious and also when other people are) and then I have a number of ways to deal with that which I have been using at work, at home and whenever I can. I feel that I understand myself and others better and this has helped me being more assertive too. I can choose how I respond to situations and I have a much better sense of what is going on. I really enjoyed the non judgmental approach, learning how to and allowing you to be kind to yourself and to others. I feel better equipped to develop myself and support the development of others. Saying that, this was a very good beginning. I am very aware that I need to practice and continue learning.Joao Roe. Aug 2013-----------------------------------------------------

I love the feeling of space inside of me that settles after practicing mindfulness, sitting meditation or the body scan.The deep sense of self -acceptance that can radiate out to my feelings for others. From this place I feel able to act in a creative and positive way. I feel this is just the start.S G. Aug 2013

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The course was an excellent way to get to know mindful meditation and to help embed this in my everyday life. The group dynamic was excellent and I looked forward to every session. I have started to feel happier and more aware of my world since starting this course and would wholeheartedly recommend it to others.

Matthew Birchall. Aug 2013

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The course materials were excellent. Got a lot from re-reading weekly handouts. It fulfilled my expectations and gave me much to reflect on combined with hugely practical advice on techniques to manage stress and improve coping skills, for myself and in my work for others as a yoga teacher.KB Aug 2013.

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This is a course that allows participants choice all the way. It offers a wide choice of approaches to being mindful, varities of meditaion, and options to follow up your learning in your own time, in your own way. It relies on us taking responsibility for our learning, using support and mutual experiences. Gentle encouragement, space for consideration and validation of achievement came from Huw, back to him from the group. It is so simple, but so demanding at the same time!The day workshop retreat in silence, again by choice, helped carry forward my appreciation of mindfulness and the awareness therin, in away that the evenings had not allowed me, Thank you.JBG Aug 2013

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A very well put together course. professionally presented with good informative handouts and useful materials.Highly recommended.AK Aug 2013

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Huw's Mindfulness course has helped me to be happy in my body. Sue S. May 2013-----------------------------------------------Huw's enthusiasm for his subject and interest in sharing its advantages were immediately both impressive and inspiring.It did not waver throughout the nine sessions, which I was also happy to find well planned and paced; not an easy task with a diffuse subject and group of varied students.The silent retreat day- again not something most of us had relished in advance- was a revelation for us all, and a thoroughly positive experience.Again, Huw's divisions, pacing and variation of activity were very effective.Sue Haselgrove May 2013-----------------------------------------------I came to the course with a mixture of great expectation and concerns that it " wouldn't be for me". I'm glad to say that the course exceeded my expectations and with out using hyperbol, has changed my view of my self and life in general.Huw is a great teacher/guide and everything he did was done with great calmness and patience; explaining concepts and practices as we progressed through the 8 week course.Overall this course opened up a new gateway into self awareness and a new world for me with hope, calm and peace.I would and have, recommended this course to all.Pat Brown May 2013

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Huw Griffiths mindfulness training course is the best----- Deeply relaxing,absorbing and so beneficial in areas of my life. Thoroughly recommended.Huw has integrated his years and experience as a complementary therapist with cutting edge techniques and information on how the brain works and its connection to the body to produce a wonderful course called mindfulness training.As a recently qualified Hypnotherapist I totally endorse Huw's course and encourage anyone who desires change and beneficial improvements in their lives or just sceptically curious, to take up this wonderful training.Colin Jones May 2013

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As a busy mum I felt I didnt have the time for this course let alone any additional home practice.but I am so glad i did!I have become more aware of my self and more able to be in and enjoy the moment. I dont have less to do but somehow I feel much less anxious about what i havge got to do. I am less rigid and stuck in my ways and more creative in the way I approach things.Mindfulness is a new way of being which has and will contimue to enhance my life.Cath Wilkins

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I found the course fulfilled my expectations and focused on techniques required for meditation, it fed the mind as well as re minded us of the importance of the body.Many ideas were explored in an open and friendly atmosphere, the group getting on well and the spirits improving through the weeks as we shared the meditation practices together.It was just right,not too heavy or theoretical, not light either, very balanced on the physical and intellectual states of being.Thanks again. D M.